2013/14 TAKING SHAPE

Preparation for the 2013/14 season is now in full swing and after the completion of the League One and Two Play offs we now know who we will face next season!

The official website has had a look at each team that we will face, how their season went last year and how our records stand against them.

Each day we will look at another four teams so make sure you keep your eyes open for early info on next season's opposition.

Bradford City

Coral Windows Stadium (Valley Parade) – Capacity 25,136

Bradford join us in League One after a memorable 2012/13 campaign that saw them remarkably reach the Capital One Cup Final at Wembley, where they were beaten by Swansea, before returning to the national stadium to defeat Northampton in the Play-off Final and secure promotion.

We met in Boro’s single season in League Two and both sides made home advantage count; Boro were victorious at the Lamex and the Bantams were on top at Valley Parade.

P: 2 W: 1 D: 0 L: 1 GF: 2 GA: 2

Brentford

Griffin Park – Capacity 12,763.

Stevenage have twice played at Griffin Park in the past two seasons, with it proving an enjoyable away day for the Boro faithful. It’s a game that came so close to not happening, with fine margins costing Brentford promotion to the Championship last season. Final day heartache left them in a Play-off place rather than the automatic promotion spots before another day to forget at Wembley as the Bees lost to Yeovil Town in the Play-off Final.

In recent years the two clubs have slogged out five matches, the first coming in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in 2010, with Stevenage a league below the Bees at the time of playing. On that day, Boro perhaps edged proceedings but were beaten by a single goal.

In the four league games since Stevenage are on top, winning three and losing just one – back in October 2011 we defeated them at their place on a memorable night for the Stevenage fans who supported their team brilliantly throughout the night.

Head to Head record in Football League:

P: 4 W: 3 D: 0 L: 1 GF: 4 GA: 4

Bristol City

Ashton Gate – Capacity 21,479

Bristol City drop the League One after finishing bottom of the Championship last season, eventually 14 points from safety at the end of the season.

It’ll be Boro’s first game against City but is sure to be an away trip that our fans will look forward to when the fixture list is released.

Head to Head record in Football League:

Teams yet to face each other in the Football League.

Carlisle United

Brunton Park – Capacity 18,202

Stevenage and Carlisle United have crossed paths on many occasions in recent history; the Cumbrians came out on top in the Conference Play-off Final at the end of the 2004/05 season with a narrow victory at Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium and we have since met in the Football League on four occasions. Results have been mixed but United come out slightly on top, with two wins compared to Boro’s one win and one draw.

It’s been a difficult (and very long!) away trip since promotion to the Football League, with Boro yet to take even a single point. Two defeats have been hard to take in the last two seasons and this’ll be a stat that Graham Westley will look to improve next season.

Head to Head record in Football League:

P: 4 W: 1 D: 1 L: 2 GF: 3 GA: 4

Check back tomorrow for info on Coventry City, Colchester United, Crawley Town and Crewe Alexandra!